Six Fighters You May Not--But Should--Know About
For most of us, quarantine has meant a lot more free time. Trying to find the silver lining in this new normal, I have used this time to watch a lot of tape—both boxing and Muay Thai. I won’t rehash my stump speech about the importance of watching fights; but a quick reminder: no one should dismiss the value of studying fights and fighters.
While it’s always fun to watch the greats and the uber-popular: Ali, Buakaw, Saenchai, Mayweather, Tyson, Samart, etc. there are a ton of amazing fighters and fights on Youtube. Here I am going to highlight three boxers and three Muay Thai fighters who, though champions, may not be known by the casual fan or practitioner.
RAY ‘BOOM BOOM’ MANCINI
Known for his constant head movement, ‘punches in bunches’ style, and huge heart, Ray Mancini was a prolific lightweight in the 1980s. At the age of 20, he fought one of the greats in Alexis Arguello coming up short for the WBC title. Always exciting, always swinging, Mancini has a beautiful lead hook to the body as well as a great lead hook to the head. If watching a Mancini fight, look for his supreme infighting skills, his head movement, and the fluidity of his combinations.
‘Sweet Pea’ Pernell Whitaker
A defensive mastermind, Sweet Pea often looks like he is fighting in the matrix. Ridiculous footwork, insane head movement, a Gold medal Olympian, and multiple weight class champ, ‘Sweet Pea’ boxed beautifully. Watch for Whitaker’s jab, footwork and angles, and slips and rolls. I usually try to post fights, rather than highlights, but this highlight is too good not to share. A true defensive mastermind.
Naoya Inoue
Undefeated, at the top of his game, and ranked in the top 5 across current ‘pound-for-pound’ lists, Inoue is still relatively unknown in the USA. The Japanese fighter competes at bantamweight currently—limit 118—and because of this, probably does not get the attention he deserves. He is hard hitting, exciting, and capable of getting in and out of striking range at lightning fast speeds. Watch for his lead hook, his ability to create or close distance, and his setups to land power shots. A fantastic fighter through and through.
Karuhat
Thai fighters often get a bad rap for being stiff, plodding, and stationary. Karuhat shatters all of those stereotypes. A legend of the Golden Era, Karuhat is slick, smooth, and elusive. A technical fighter, he threw sneaky elbows, kept his hands low, and ripped vicious kicks. The below fight, versus the clincher Lamnamoon, highlights the difference between the clinch, forward pressure, knee style of Lamnamoon and the sneaky, technical style of Karuhat.
Chamuaktong
Fighting out of the powerhouse PK Saenchai Gym, the best adjective to describe Chamuaktong may be ‘consistent’. He never seems to waver, keeping the same pace, throwing consistently, wearing his opponents down. Though he has lost to some of the bigger names like Yodwicha and Petchboonchu, he is a multiple time champ with solid skills across every aspect of Muay Thai. Watch for his consistent pace, strong clinch, and forward pressure. In this fight versus the always game Charlie Peters, he weathers the storm early and wears the Brit out.
Yothin F.A. Group
F.A. Group is known for its strong clinch and aggressive style. Their fighter, Yothin, fits the bill. Any of his fights on Youtube are worth watching, but check the pad-work video below to see the intricacies of the clinch. Depending on his goals, the range, and the movement of the padholder, Yothin changes his hand position when throwing knees or turning his pad holder. Double plum, inside control, one hand on the head and one in inside control, etc.—he goes through a variety of different positions working the round like it’s a real fight. An excellent display of how to train the clinch while hitting pads.
Watching fights and learning about fighters and their respective styles both increases your knowledge base and helps you flesh out your own style. Nothing beats training, but watching some fights on a Zoom video with friends isn’t so bad either in times like these. Stay sane, and don’t forget about your roadwork ;).